I've noticed a tendency on the board for a lot of folks to jump all over these kinds of events and start screaming "police state." I'm as nervous as the next guy at the idea of a police state. I've never been a cop. Never been on the giving or recieving end of angry fire, thank God. But I can see how something like this happens.
These guys were (according to the news report I saw) responding to a report of a guy with a gun . They had been chasing the guy for a long time. He stopped because the cops used the spike strips. Cops approach the car. BANG! Round goes off. You've been to all the training that we all have been to, or read about, or whatever. Action beats reaction. OODA loop. Keep shooting until the target stops. You have like 12 cops there. They pull their guns and keep shooting. 120 rounds adds up in a hurry. Can anyone honestly say that in that circumstance they would take their time and wait and verify the threat (keep in mind that you are already behind action now. Someone may be shooting at you), or would you pull your weapon, trust that your partner knew that there was a threat, and empty your magazine?
It isn't right, and it isn't smart, but it happens. I've met my share of JBTs, but most of the cops I know and have met are just guys and gals doing a very, very tough job and trying to go home to their families. The problem, IMHO, isn't one of "cops can be trusted and people can't" but one of politicians who write laws that make cops into super-heros. Don't take out your anger on the police who enforce the laws; take it out on the pols who make the laws that say cops can be trusted with guns and citizens can't, or whatever.
